Ellen Page says she felt 'violated' by Brett Ratner, alleges he outed her at 18

The Canadian PressPublished November 10, 2017 - 4:25pm Last Updated November 10, 2017 - 6:55pm

TORONTO — Canadian actress Ellen Page says filmmaker Brett Ratner made her feel "violated" with alleged comments about her sexuality that outed her to peers when she was 18.

In a lengthy post to Facebook on Friday, Page alleged Ratner once suggested to a woman standing next to her that she have sex with the Halifax native "to make her realize she's gay."

Page said it happened when she was 18, during a pre-production meeting with the cast and crew of 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand," which Ratner directed.

"I was a young adult who had not yet come out to myself," wrote the Oscar-nominated "Juno" star, who publicly came out as gay during a speech delivered at a human rights conference in 2014.

"I knew I was gay, but did not know, so to speak. I felt violated when this happened. I looked down at my feet, didn't say a word and watched as no one else did either.

"This man, who had cast me in the film, started our months of filming at a work event with this horrific, unchallenged plea. He 'outed' me with no regard for my well-being, an act we all recognize as homophobic."

Winnipeg-born actress Anna Paquin, who was also in the film, backed up Page's claims.

"I was there when that comment was made. I stand with you," Paquin tweeted to Page on Friday.

Ratner is facing several allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct, including from Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, which he has denied. A representative for Ratner could not be immediately reached for comment about Page's statement.

"Making someone feel ashamed of who they are is a cruel manipulation, designed to oppress and repress. I was robbed of more than autonomy over my ability to define myself," Page wrote on Facebook.

"The difference is that I can now assert myself and use my voice to fight back against the insidious queer and transphobic attitude in Hollywood and beyond."

Her Facebook post also recounted other harrowing experiences in the film industry.

Page said she was sexually assaulted by someone on a film crew and was asked by a director "to sleep with a man in his late twenties and to tell them about it."

"I did not," she added. "This is just what happened during my sixteenth year, a teenager in the entertainment industry."

She said she was also 16 when a director fondled her leg under the table during dinner and told her: "You have to make the move, I can't."

"I did not make the move and I was fortunate to get away from that situation," she said.

Page also said in her post that she considers making a film with Woody Allen "the biggest regret of my career."

"I am ashamed I did this. I had yet to find my voice and was not who I am now and felt pressured, because 'of course you have to say yes to this Woody Allen film,'" she wrote.

"Ultimately, however, it is my choice what films I decide to do and I made the wrong choice. I made an awful mistake."

Allen has been accused of molesting his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow by his ex-partner Mia Farrow. He was investigated for the alleged molestation, but was never charged. He has consistently denied the abuse allegation.